Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 7-31-18

Local
Community Help Needed To Solve Fatal Hit And Run
Sentinel Recommendations
Will Appear In August 3rd Edition
Recommenda- tions from the Sen- tinel for the upcoming August 28th Election will be published in the Friday, August 3rd Edition. The paper is distributed on Thursdays, and can be purchased at your favorite loca- tion.
During the early morning hours of July 21st, at approx- imately 1:55 a.m., a Tampa Police Officer discovered a man lying in the middle of the street in the 3600 block of E. Columbus Drive. The victim was breathing, but was unresponsive. He was found just west of the rail- road tracks.
He was transported to a local hospital, where he died as a result of his injuries. He has been identified as 38- year-old Jayson Anthony Daniels, of Tampa.
During the investigation, detectives located personal items belonging to Daniels as well as a skateboard. Based on their investigation, police determined that Daniels was the victim of a hit and run.
Police believe Daniels was either walking or on the skateboard when he was
JAYSON ANTHONY DANIELS 7/23/1979 - 7/21/2018
struck. Police have collected a video that shows a vehicle that may have been involved in the fatal accident.
Since the accident oc- curred, detectives have been attempting to gather infor- mation from the community about the accident.
A spokesperson for the department said, “This is a crime that we really need the
community’s help. The only way it is going to be solved is if someone with information comes forward.”
Anyone with any infor- mation that leads to the iden- tification and location of the driver of the vehicle that struck the victim is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS, or visit the website at www.crimestopperstb.com.
Teen Given Life To Be Released After 46 Years
Judge Rules Seminole Heights Murder Suspect Competent
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Last week, a Hillsborough County judge ruled that a man charged with killing four people is competent to stand trial. The Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Of- fice is seeking the death penalty in the case.
In April, Circuit Judge Mark Wolfe honored a competency hearing re- quested by defense attorneys for Howell Donaldson, III, in April. He appointed Dr. Richard Carpenter to conduct the evaluation.
Judge Wolfe ordered a total of three doctors to eval- uate Donaldson.
Donaldson, 25, is ac- cused of committing four ran- dom murders between October 9th and November 14th 2017, in Seminole Heights. Donaldson was ar- rested on November 28,
2017. The Victims
On October 9th, Ben-
jamin Mitchell, 22, was shot 4 times near N. 15th Street and E. Frierson Av- enue.
The body of Ms. Monica Hoffa was discovered on the morning of Friday, October 13th. She was last seen the night of October 11th.
Anthony Naiboa, 20, was fatally wounded on Octo- ber 19th, shortly before 8 p.m. Naiboa, a young adult with Autism, had gotten off the bus at the wrong stop.
The last murder attrib- uted to Donaldson took place during the early morn- ing hours of November 14th. Ronald Felton, 60, was crossing the street in the 1500 block of N. Nebraska Avenue, when he fell victim to the gunman.
All of the victims were walking in the Seminole Heights neighborhoods when they were shot. Shell casings found at the scenes linked the murders.
Donaldson was arrested after he gave a bag containing a handgun to his manager at the McDonald’s Restaurant near Ybor City.
Ballistics determined the gun was the weapon used in all four murders.
Donaldson purchased the weapon in early October. He took possession of it two days before Benjamin Mitchell was killed.
HOWELL DONALDSON, III ... Charged with 4 counts of
first-degree murder
LEONARD EDWARDS
Leonard Edwards had just celebrated his 17th birth- day when he arrived at Florida State Prison December 12, 1972. He had been given a life sentence for sexual battery and two counts of armed rob- bery.
However, as a result of a U. S. Supreme Court ruling Ed- wards and other juveniles were given a chance at free- dom. Last week, Edwards appeared before Hillsborough Circuit Court Judge Tom Barber.
Edwards learned that after 46 years of being incar- cerated that he would be re- leased. Judge Barber also imposed a 10-year probation sentence.
On July 6, 1972, the room- mate of the victim, then 22- years-old, found her lying in a blood-soaked bed around 1 a.m. She had been raped and her skull had been fractured in several places. She survived the attack.
Edwards was arrested a few months later, and later convicted of the crime. The case was reportedly built on a jailhouse confession.
Edwards never confessed to the crime.
Assistant Public Defense
Attorney Joseph Larri- naga represented Edwards, who is now 62-years-old.
PAGE 2 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, JULY 31, 2018